Tooreen aim to maintain dominance over London challengers
Tooreen’s Sean Kenny in action against Conor O'Carroll of St Gabriel’s during last year's meeting in the AIB Connacht Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final at Dr Hyde Park. Picture: David Farrell Photography
From one familiar opponent to another, London champions St Gabriel’s will be the next team looking to stop Tooreen from reaching an eighth consecutive Connacht club intermediate hurling championship final when the two sides meet in Ruislip this Saturday.
As expected, Ray Larkin’s side defeated Four Roads in the quarter-final last Sunday week, and while the margin of victory was the lowest in all their ties against Four Roads in the provincial series, Tooreen had done the damage long before the Roscommon champions scored a late burst of points to make the final scoreline much more flattering than it should have been.
It was not all good news for the Mayo champions, however, as Daniel Huane and Liam Lavin were both withdrawn in the first-half due to injury. But it speaks volumes about the conveyor belt of talent that comes from the small village in East Mayo that they can unearth new talent year after year, with Mayo U20 hurler David Delaney and former Mayo minor Fionn Delaney both sprung off the bench to have a substantial impact. Whether both Huane and Lavin are fit for the trip to London remains unknown but should they not recover, Tooreen have shown that they have the depth to cope with their absences, with both David and Fionn able to complement the talents of Shane and Fergal Boland, Sean Kenny, Eoin Delaney, Oisin Greally, David Kenny, Stephen Coyne and Joe Boyle in what is a side that has the right blend of talented youth and know-how.
It has been four years since Tooreen made the trip to London, defeating Robert Emmets in November 2021. Their proposed semi-final two years ago saw Tooreen receive a walkover due to a dispute between St Gabriel’s and Brothers Pearse over an ineligible player that saw the London senior hurling championship held up. However, there has been no controversy on this occasion as St Gabriel’s cemented their place as London’s best once again when they defeated Kilburn Gaels to retain the title, winning their 20th overall.
Since the London champions began entering the Connacht intermediate hurling championship in 2018 (before that, they entered at the All-Ireland stage), Gabriel’s have been the most frequent opponent from across the Irish Sea for the Blue Devils.
As of yet though, they have yet to taste success. In their three previous meetings in 2018, 2022 and 2024, Tooreen have emerged victorious, and the winning margin has increased on each occasion.
Despite this, Tooreen can expect a stiff challenge from a side with a great pedigree, with nine of their squad – Jack Morrissey, Sean Glynn (St Gabriel’s captain), Conor O’Carroll, Rory Lodge, Niall Cannon, Niall Eames, Niall Geoghegan, Padraig Collins and Stephen Whelan – involved in London’s Christy Ring Cup success this year.
The big addition to the St Gabriel’s squad from last year has been Morrissey, who was part of the Kilkenny team that reached the 2018 All-Ireland minor final. It is not the just players that have played in the biggest occasions either. Their manager, Offaly native Neil Rodgers, was also part of a star-studded Birr team that won back-to-back All-Ireland senior club titles in 2001 and 2002.
Of the St Gabriel’s team that faced Tooreen in last year’s semi-final, thirteen of the nineteen players that Gabriel’s used on the day were involved in the London final success last month. Coupled with the dangerous Jack Morrissey, who scored 1-4 in the final, Tooreen will not be taking them for granted.
The Tooreen contingent who faced London in the National Hurling League this year certainly will know all about them. Beaten in the regular rounds of Division 3, the Green and Red enjoyed a memorable revenge when they defeated the Exiles in the league final. Tooreen should come through this challenge also, but not without a stiff test of their own title credentials.
Verdict: Tooreen
